When it comes to shopping for a bride’s big day, the experience can be deeply emotional and memorable for everyone involved.
No one knows this better than luxury bridal designer and bridal boutique owner Mark Ingram, who has held the hand of countless brides through their own journeys. Since establishing his eponymous brand more than two decades ago, Ingram has a reputation for creating a luxury experience built solely on word-of-mouth referrals — with many generational brides passing through his atelier.
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Inspired by these moments, Ingram marked his Madison Avenue Atelier’s first anniversary by launching “Room Service” — a luxurious, bespoke concierge service that builds upon his legacy of excellence, attention to detail and being client-focused.
“Dress shopping in New York City can be very chaotic between the traffic of the city and buzz of business in bridal salons — the ‘Room Service’ experience completely calms that,” said Grace L., a recent client of Mark Ingram’s VIP “Room Service” experience. “I was lucky enough to find my dream gown while feeling like I was just enjoying an apéritif with my closest people.”
Ingram told Fairchild Studio that his childhood memories of shopping on Fifth Avenue with his grandparents throughout New York City combined with the magic of department stores influenced his desire to create “an experience deeply rooted in a lovely past with the spark of what is modern and relevant.”
Abby G., another “Room Service” client, said “Mark Ingram is truly second to none and their attention to their brides is truly remarkable. From the pre-appointment consultation to the Champagne service and the entire appointment, my stylist did not miss a beat.”
Here, Dawn Bromander, president and chief operating officer, and Annie Cavallo, director of marketing and client experience at Mark Ingram, sat down with Fairchild Studio to share insights about the boutique’s new “Room Service” experience, what continues to make Mark Ingram stand out and more.
Fairchild Studio: Who is the Mark Ingram bride?
Dawn Bromander: Since 2001, Mark Ingram Atelier brides have been sophisticated fashion-seekers who love and understand quality, craftsmanship and luxurious design. Brides are interested in Mark’s unique point of view as both a designer and a longtime industry tastemaker. His relationships with the finest designers in the world allow us to work together to perfect his edit and bring exclusive designs available only in the heart of the city.
Fairchild Studio: What differentiates the Mark Ingram “Room Service” experience from a typical bridal appointment?
D.B.: Let’s start with our vision. We are not interested in providing a typical bridal appointment. “Room Service” is an extension of the service we are proud to provide to every bride.
Prior to opening the new atelier, a great deal of time and creative thought went into what we wanted the atelier experience to feel like. We revisited the past and envisioned the future in every decision made about how we could best partner with the bride to create the experience that she was looking for.
Every bride that comes to us becomes a part of our DNA when she walks in. The space was designed to bring the bride and her family into our family and celebrate together. She will find our environment deeply rooted in Mr. Ingram’s personal life with elements of his family history, the warmth of his personal entertaining style and a seasoned team that is both engaged and knowledgeable.
Our “Room Service” is an extension of our service for the bride who is looking for a little extra magic in her “bridal era.” Aside from the services within each package, what we strive to achieve first and foremost is just a deeper touch of care and intention behind helping a bride select her wedding gown with the luxury of extended time to shop for her entire wedding wardrobe.
Fairchild Studio: What does the “Room Service” consultation look like from start to finish?
Annie Cavallo: When a client selects an appointment with our “Room Service,” they are scheduled for an introductory chat to discuss the service details and food and beverage preferences of their appointment. All of our “Room Service” appointments include professional ring cleaning and reservation assistance before or after their visit to extend this unique NYC experience.
Once those nuances are selected, our concierge team moves into the reason for the visit: the fashion. They ask for links to Pinterest boards and gowns brides are loving along with details of their venue, season and aesthetic. The goal is to have the client or planner provide a clear picture of the event so our stylist can prepare, curate and call in gowns in advance to create a highly personalized experience.
The special nature of our “Room Service” is the luxury of time, with two full hours of shopping — our clients can walk the floor, gathering knowledge of each designer before trying on their selections. Upon completion of their service, clients leave with instant communication of their choices followed by dedicated touch points and priority rebookings.”
Fairchild Studio: With the “Room Service” experience offering a more intimate and custom experience, how are you able to tailor the experience personally to each bride?
A.C.: Communication and having a vested connection with the client is our top priority and while most traditional retail models don’t allow for such pre-shopping connections, our “Room Service” first and foremost relies on it. Having in-depth conversations about their vision and listening to their desires, learning their wants and needs before they even arrive at the atelier yields a deeper level of service.
Since opening our floor to “Room Service” options and upgrades, we have been able to create moments that celebrate with our brides. From an international group traveling in for after-hours shopping to balloons celebrating a bride’s 25th birthday, a surprise reuniting of college friends and even an intimate mother-and-daughter morning with mimosas — each visit is done with personal touches that speak to their needs and wants around this momentous shopping occasion.
Fairchild Studio: How is the “Room Service” experience changing the traditional bridal shopping experience?
D.B.: Every woman we work with is unique and brings her own idea of what she wants her gown shopping experience to be. We strive to provide a variety of experiences that give the woman we work with the choices she is looking for.
Our brides choose “Room Service” as a way to bring in additional guests and in part, spend more time and create unique memories with their loved ones. It’s truly her memorable experience, we are just providing the space and excellence in service for her to enjoy it.
“Room Service” is one of several of our initiatives that help us stand out. Last season, we featured “Salon Evenings” to launch our trunk shows. These events gave our new and existing brides the chance to meet our designers, hear their stories and share a cocktail and some laughter.
We introduced “Real Bride Stories” on Instagram. These feature our married brides coming back to share their gown stories, their wedding stories and the details that made it all come together for them. Mr. Ingram is regularly in the house and we often find him with one of our brides sharing her vision with him. His name is on the door and his heart is right inside. We think we have something special to share.